Lets get the facts straight. I am a start-up business. I have been in business for nearly 5 years starting with 2 days per week, 3 days, now 5 days per week. I don’t have endless cash and I certainly don’t have spare money to pay for other business owners mistakes. Brand loyalty is earned and it can very easily vanish in an instant. You want to protect your brand,… Read more
Many small business owners think they can save money by handling their financials themselves. While it’s a real asset to learn bookkeeping basics, cash flow management and your tax obligations, hiring an accountant to oversee your business finances has many benefits. “But why would I pay for an accountant or bookkeeper when I can just do it myself? I am saving money. Surely that is a good thing?” We hear this… Read more
If you thought your accounting software was just for tracking income and expenses, you’re losing out on an opportunity to improve your bottom line. Your accounting software can do so much more, and if used correctly, could boost your sales. By taking advantage of insights provided by your financial reporting, you’ll benefit from a more informed approach to marketing and customer service – and by making the most of all… Read more
You know what gets my goat more than anything…a meeting held just for the sake of having a meeting. If you are not having a productive meeting, then really, what is the point? Isn’t it just wasting your time? When running a business (of any size) – you simply don’t have time or resources to waste. Yet many small business owners waste countless hours on meetings that lack focus, run… Read more
“My business is not making enough money, and I don’t know what to do.” We hear it all the time. Instead of ignoring the cause of the problem, it is time to put the brakes on and review the non-essential costs. When faced with cash flow or profitability issues, most business owners first reaction is to try and find new clients or customers. Feeling desperate, they totally forget what their… Read more
So you want to move from a Sole Trader to a Company but you have quotes ranging from $500 to $3000. Why is there such a drastic variance? And what exactly are you getting for your money? “But the first question you need to answer is ..Do you even understand why you want to change structures?” Sure – you can change from a sole trader to a company, what seems to… Read more
Each time I seem to go into a business Facebook group I see the same comment…. “My Bookkeeper/Accountant is over charging me – surely it is a simple job. Why are they so expensive? They are ripping me off.” Now, before I get my “ranty pants” on – let’s reverse this for a minute. Think about the service you offer and imagine how you would feel if people (who did… Read more
On average, small business owners spend 10 hours each week recording, organising, and processing financial transactions – everything from accounts receivable and payable, to employee payments, expense receipts and supplier invoices. That doesn’t sound like Bookkeeping Basics to me! While the process may be time-consuming (and tedious!), effective bookkeeping is the foundation of sound financial management – which in turn, is the lifeblood of your business. Feeling overwhelmed by mountains… Read more
Have you spent thousands of dollars attending courses and training programs on how to sell? On how to increase sales in your business? On the easiest way to sell? Anything to do with selling? “Well I am telling you right now, one trip to Fiji and you can learn all the lessons you need to makes your sales funnel electric.” Now I must admit, I am not a sales expert.… Read more
How to obtain a business loan is a common concern for start-up businesses and those preparing to scale. So how do you get the banks to say “YES”? Getting approved for a business loan or line of credit is usually more difficult than qualifying for a personal loan. It’s crucial that small business owners are adequately prepared when meeting with a lender to present their business in the best possible light. “Rocking… Read more
Should I use Xero or MYOB or Quickbooks Online or Wave or Saasu or Freshbooks (the list goes on). This is a question we hear from small business owners every single week. So what is the best accounting software for a small business? “Now call me annoying – but I can’t answer that. And anyone who does, is not giving you an accurate answer.” #TRUTHBOMB So, um, if I can’t… Read more
Contrary to popular belief – I don’t have ESP, I am not Wonder Woman, I do not have a magic wand and I don’t have super powers. I make mistakes. I am human. But I am not a failure. Recently, in the craziness that was end of financial year, BAS season, putting our house on the market and generally trying to be all things to all people, I made the… Read more
Happy EOFY. Time to relax right? Wrong – this is the best time to review your business plan for the new financial year ahead. Yep, thats right, no rest for the wicked. Here are some of our tips to make the your business plan process more productive (or should I say, actually useful). Don’t fly solo – get your team involved Business planning works best when it’s a team effort.… Read more
I am a big believer that whilst I run my small business, community comes before competition. Relationships come before profit. And happiness comes before growth. Yes, I have over 100,000 competitors in the accounting & bookkeeping space in Australia alone – but I see those people as my mentors, my rocks, my shoulders to cry on, my support network to learn from and my community first and foremost. “Call me… Read more
The closer we get to 30 June and End of Financial Year – the more times I see the phrase “Buy now, so you can get a tax deduction this financial year”. I truly wonder how many unsuspecting business owners get sucked into this sales tactic – when they don’t even know or understand their tax position in the first place. “You see, a tax deduction is not the same… Read more
If you are a small business owner, an entrepreneur, a solopreneur, a mumpreneuer, the next Zuckerberg or a combination of all of these – you need to constantly upskill or fear getting left behind. Or worse – get a knock on the door from the tax office because you have failed in some kind of business obligation that you had no idea about. And I am not just talking about… Read more
I have many qualifications – not because I love studying, but because I love what I do. I am a numbers nerd through and through. I am a qualified Chartered Accountant, a Member in Practice, a member of the Institute of Public Accountants, a member of the Institute of Certified Bookkeepers, I have an accounting degree and I have worked in the accounting space since I was 20 (so for… Read more
The honest truth about working parents – is that we don’t always get it right. We think we are getting it right, we think we are building the best future for our family….until our child mutters the words “But Mum, I just want to spend time with you” and a little piece of your heart breaks off and shatters into pieces on the floor. As a mother, and entrepreneur and… Read more
I am writing this on behalf of every entrepreneur, every small business owner, every hustling parent – pretty much everyone busting their gut for the own business. I know deep down, you have also had days where you want out of your business. You want less stress, less hours, less hectic-ness, less fights with your partner, more happy times with your family, less constant struggles with balance and you want… Read more
Whilst I am not against International Women’s Day being on the 8th March and celebrating trail blazing women in the world, what I would like to do is explain why I choose to celebrate every day. Why perhaps I see being a women in business as a very normal occurrence and why instead, I choose to celebrate every opportunity that I seek and create – with no relevance to religion,… Read more